Harmony Pennsylvania

Harmony Inn

Approving the restorations, spirits are friendly presences supporting the living.

DESCRIPTION

This 1856 Italianate style, large wood and brick mansion has two floors, the customary attic, basement, and an addition of a two story wing onto the original mansion. Inside, the use of wood reminds the visitor that this indeed was a home built for a wealthy banker, despite the fact that this mansion evolved in its use over the years. It has glorious black walnut/chestnut woodwork throughout the mansion.

For quite awhile, it has been a restaurant, using the rooms in both floors as various dining rooms. The tavern area is found in the large room just inside the side door off the parking lot. There is an old fashioned wooden long bar, and tables and booths laid out around this large room, which could’ve been the main dining room when it was a private residence.

Off the main entry hall there is a large parlor on the left used as a nicer dining room and the gorgeous wooden staircase is found in the middle of the entry hall which leads up to the second floor and the addition.

Smaller, more intimate dining rooms are found upstairs. Outside, there are barbecue grills and picnic benches.

HISTORY

Harmony as a town was founded by pacifist German Lutheran Separatists in 1804. They chose this lovely spot to start their communal group, which flourished until they took the vow of celibacy in 1807. In 1814, the Harmonists sold their property to a group of Mennonites when they moved to Indiana. Though the Mennonite church closed its doors in 1902, many of Harmony’s current population are descendants of the Mennonites who settled here

The Harmony Inn was built in 1856, as a private residence of Austin Pearce, a prominent Banker, railroad operator and executive. Mr. Pearce wound up having to sell his mansion to a new owner, sometime after the Civil War.

Throughout the mansion’s history, it has been used for many purposes, besides a private residence. It became a hotel, a meeting house, a livery stable, a boarding house, a tavern and restaurant.

In the late 1800s, the Ziegler family who transformed the mansion into a hotel and salon, putting this fine building to work. In 1900, the Zieglers added the two story wing to expand their hotel business. Throughout the 20th century, this place had a series of owners. In 1985, Carl Beers and Gary & Betsy Bones bought this building and property which by this time was in need of TLC and restoration. Luckily, these folks fell in love with the place and agreed to start the long process of repair and restoration. One of the big jobs was to strip off the paint on the woodwork inside and restore it to its original beauty.

Besides being a restaurant and private party location, the Harmony Inn on occasion has dinner theatre.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

So many people have owned this place and visited it as a business over the years, it is hard to say who the spirits are who haunt the restaurant now. It is thought that some of these entities think of themselves as helpful guardians of the living, really pleased with all the hard work these owners have put into their business and the building, who seem to care as much about the place as the entities did when they were living and owned the property.

The owners say it this way, “This spirit is a sort of guardian of a big block of time and its primary goal is to link the past, present and future.”

Sudden, fatal accidents can cause hauntings because the victim wasn’t ready to pass on. Local people believe that one of the entities here is the spirit of a man who fell down the stairs and broke his neck. He is called Barney.

MANIFESTATIONS

Spirit of a Friendly Presence

The staff and the sensitive have felt a warm, friendly, supportive presence keeping them company as they carry out their duties.

Apparitions of Spirits

Entities, such as the image of a man appearing in mirrors — and mists have formed upstairs, all seen by staff, owners and some patrons.

There have been many media reports about the entities who reside at the Harmony Inn, many of which are posted on the wall in the bar area. Some of the radio stations and newspaper in western Pennsylvania who have confirmed these paranormal occurrences are KDKA, WDOCI, Pittsburgh Press, and Post Gazette.

Some quick photographer snapped a picture of the image of the man in a mirror, which is also on display in the bar area.